


To Still The Relentless

by bl00dw1tch



Series: The Heylin Dragon of Metal [2]
Category: Xiaolin Showdown (Cartoon)
Genre: ? - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Corporal Punishment, Meditation, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:21:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22590928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bl00dw1tch/pseuds/bl00dw1tch
Summary: Jack begins his training. It's rough.
Relationships: Jack Spicer & Chase Young
Series: The Heylin Dragon of Metal [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1625380
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	To Still The Relentless

It was… Not pretty. 

At least Jack seemed to realize that, handing the copper lotus over to Chase with a sheepish expression.

The petals were thick and paper thin at uneven intervals, the tips bulging in a way that would have caused them to slough off were it made of clay or something else. Thin, deep grooves ran along each in an offensive attempt to give the petal 'veins'--instead, it only succeeded in looking like shattered glass, waiting to crumble apart. 

But… It was recognizable. And clearly not something just  _ anyone _ could do. Chase was still struggling to mentally comprehend it. It's so strange when something that makes no sense manages to explain itself into reality like this. 

The Xiaolin Dragon of Metal was Jack fucking Spicer.

_ Wow _ . 

"How long did this take?" 

Jack fidgeted, "Uh, really only about an hour, maybe a little less? But you said to go for two hours so… That's where the veins came from. Probably shoulda' quit while I'd been ahead," he muttered the last part to himself, crossing his arms and covering his mouth by propping his face in his palm, looking at the failed art project with distaste. 

"Probably. But that does not matter. You did what I asked, and that is all that matters," and with that, Chase closed his fist around it. It cracked and shattered along the veins, and he dropped the pieces to the floor, where they made soft, ringing jingles as they hit the stone floor. 

Jack opened his mouth in offended shock, looking at Chase to yell, but the cold, daring expression gave him pause. The redhead clenched his fist with a groan of resignation, "Aaalright. Yep. Thank you." 

"You will eat breakfast, then we will begin. Do not keep me waiting," Chase said, exiting briskly. A lioness came in after he left, making Jack shriek in fear. She only waited for him to stop with an unamused expression before biting the hem of his shirt and tugging him to follow. 

~~~

With breakfast taken care of, Jack rushed off to find his mentor. 

He found him outside, sitting near the edge of the cliff--stereotypical meditation pose. Jack almost retreated, fearing he'd arrived too early, but Chase's voice stopped him. 

"Come here, Spicer." 

He did not turn around or open his eyes. Jack reluctantly finished his approach, "Sooo… Now what?" 

"Sit. We will center ourselves before beginning the first physical activities."

Jack pursed his lips, but did as he was told--he tried to copy Chase's cross legged position, but found it uncomfortable. 

Chase could tell from the way he kept huffing and rumbling in frustration. 

"Sit in whichever way is most comfortable, Spicer," he ordered gently, letting out a long breath, "Meditation is something one does to relax themselves--anything that provides a distracting sensation is counterproductive to that." 

Jack stilled for a moment before shuffling around to get his legs closed under him, sitting on his heels, with his hands holding his ankles. Chase opened an eye to examine the position. How blocky and stiff.

Fitting. 

"Straighten your back and close your eyes, and just breath." 

Jack does so, taking a deep breath. He's tried to mediate before--it was always difficult for him, but he'd managed a few times, if only for a few minutes. But those few times were when he had music to help ground him. Now it was just… wind. And Chase's breathing. Not the easiest sounds to focus on, but he'll… Try. 

And if it doesn't work, then he's always got his backup plan.

~~~ 

_ "The moon will a song for me _

_ I loved you like the sun _

_ Bore the shadows that you made _

_ With no light of my own _

_ I shine only with the light you gave me _

_ I shine only with the light you gave me" _

_ ~~~ _

When Chase finally pulled from the meditative state, Jack had been fully immersed for 10 minutes. The warlord was impressed. He stood and stretched, opening his eyes slowly to look down at Jack-- 

Only to see little earbuds in his ears. 

He scowled before crouching to tear them out--Jack jolted, falling back from Chase being so close. 

" _ Why _ are you wearing these?" 

"Jesus fucking--good god, Chase! The music helps me zone out!" 

"'Zoning out' is not meditation, Spicer," the immortal growled, dropping the fistful of wire off the cliff despite Jack's plea of denial, "You need to learn to block out the distractions with your  _ mind _ , not with electronic tools. They are a  _ crutch _ ." 

Jack flinched away from the scathing words, face contorted in upset. He narrows his eyes, then, "Crutches are a  _ necessary  _ tool,  **_sir._ ** Not everything has to be a battle--if there's something I can use to make a task easier, I'm going to use it! That's why they  _ exist _ ." 

"Oh, is that so? And clearly it has turned out incredibly well for you--sending your bots into battle because you can't be bothered to build up your own strength? To fight like a  _ man _ ?" Chase retorted, grabbing Jack by the lapel of his gi and dragging him inside--the boy struggles and flails in the grasp, but seems more angry than afraid--surprisingly. 

"You think I haven't TRIED?! I  _ begged _ for my mom to send me to fighting classes and gyms and shit--it's not my fault she thought dancing was more important!" 

Chase scoffed, "Dancing classes you've clearly neglected. Dancing is battle without an opponent, Jack--that would have strengthened you just as much if you'd actually participated," he said, dropping him in the middle of the citadel's courtyard. 

Jack stumbled and regained his balance, looking up just in time to catch the staff Chase threw at him. Chase circled around him, twirling his own staff in his hands languidly, "We begin now. Feet shoulder width apart, hold the staff out in front of you."

Jack did as he was asked with a scoff, "Geez not even going to bother finishing the argument?" 

"That was  _ not _ an argument," Chase said, stepping closer to tap his apprentices ankles and elbows, adjusting his stance, "But we will finish it at some point in the future. For now, you will stay quiet, follow orders, and learn. Back straight." 

Jack growled and grumbled under his breath, earning him a sharp  _ whack _ from Chase's staff to his lower back.

" **OW!** " 

" _ Back. Straight. _ " 

  
  
  



End file.
